Permutation-lock



.(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. M. HATHAWAY.

VPLmszrUTAirIoN Loox.

No. 251,877. ,Y Patented Jan. 3,1882.

(Model.)` 2 Sheets--Slieet 2..

Gr. M. HATHAWAY.

PERMUTATION 1.00K.

No. 251,877. Patented-Jan. 3,1882.

NNNNNN S. Pmmumamphsr. washington, D. r:A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HATHAWAY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

PERMUTATION-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,877, dated January3,` 1882.

` Application illed November 22,1881. (Model.)

v do declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresof reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this vspecication.

My invention relates to permutation-locks adapted for service uponsafes, desks, vaults, doors, trunks, and the like; and the noveltyconsists in theconstruction `and arrangementof parts, as will be morefully hereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed outin the claims.f The objects ofthe invention are, first, to produce a practically safepermutation-lock', second, to lock the combination by-a novelanxiliarylock,thereby securin g the dial against ma nipulation byevil-disposed or mischievous persons who may be desirous to work out, byex periment, the main combination for future use in opening thesafe,vault, or the like upon which the lock is placed.

Expert evidence in this art is to the effect that nearly everypermutation-lock may be opened it' the operator has time and patience toexperiment untilhe finds, either bytouch or accident, the combination.Hence, when a bank vault or safe is closed after business hours, theburglar must learn the combination by the manipulation of the dial andput the combination on before business hours upon the following day-sayin a space of twelve hours-before he can effect his purpose. It istherefore not only desirable but necessitous that the dial should not besubject to manipulation, and an obvious way to prevent'suchmanipulationis to lock the dial in itsbearin gs against rotary motion.This being the object in view in this portion of the invention, it isevident that the means forlocking-the dial should not be readilyapparent, either to denote itsluse or to invite suspicion or conjecture,and that the means should be sufficiently complex 'to be difficult toaready understandin g thereof, the cost in this art bein g alwayssubordinate to safety and convenience.

I have also discovered that the disks ordinarily employed in this artgive an unnecessary amount of frictional surface, and hence results theemployment ot' friction-springs.

This invention is designed not only to avoid the use of disks, buttoabsolutely do away with the use of friction-springs, and thus render theconstruction cheaper and more reliable.

The auxiliary combination, being the subjectmatter of a formerapplication, will be understood as forming no part of this invention,except in its specific construction, as will be both shown anddescribed.

The invention consists, essentially, in four (more or less) concentricrings, which revolve in concentric recesses, oneI set of each being inthe dial and one in the lock proper. Secured Y upon the shaft or stem ofboth the main and auxiliary lock is an operating-ring having a recesswith one abrupt and one inclined side. This operating-ring has anexternal pin, and the outer ring has an internal piu, while theintervening rings are provided with pins extending radially through themand projecting upon either side. These pins are intended to abut-againsteach other, as shown, and to allow the proper adjustment to complete thecombination. Each ring is provided with an edge recess, in whichoperates an arm having a pivotal shank in each lock, the shank in eachcase abuttingV against a spiral or other spring contained in propersockets, as will be shown. After the combination is on, the concentricrings allow the arms to manipulate the bolt in either lock, butaforcedmovement in the same direction which protrudes the bolt 4forces the armto ride up the incline in the recess in the operating-rin g until itrests upon the edge of the rings, the constantforce of the springshaving been overcome sufficiently to allow such movement. The arms ineach lock will then ride idly upon the faces of the rings until therecesses register and the combinations are on, when the action of thesprings forces the arms into the ringrecesses, and the oscillation ofthe rings will allow the desired reciprocation of the bolts. The largeror main operating-ring is secured to its shaft by small connectingcorrugations or serrations between the ring and shaft, and by a headedscrew, the head-face of which Ais provided with radial corrugationsAwhich cor sufficient engaging contact.

respond with similar corrugations upon the main operating arm. Thisconstruction of these serrations upon the stem or shaft allows an almostinfinite number of changesin the combination, while the corrugationsupon the arm and screw allow a lighter spring to give lt will also beobserved that each spring acts independently with-hut a minimum quantityof friction, and that all frictional springs are dispensed with.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is ahorizontal section; Fig. 2, a transverse section; Fig. 3, a bottom planview with the cap removed; Fig. 4, a bottom plan view of the mainlock-frame, showing concentric rings and pawl-arm; Fig. 5, a similarview, showing concentric recesses. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are details.

It being understood that the rings and locking devices are approximatelysimilar in each lock, I will, for convenience, describe the main lockand refer to the other simply by letter.

To enable others skilled in the art to which the invention relates tomake and use the-same, I will describe the construction and mode ofoperation of the same, referring to this end to the described drawings,in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all thefigures.

A represents the main or inner lock, having sleeve et, bolt-socket a',cap A', and duplex screw-sockets e2, by means of which the said cap A issecured to the said main lock. This cap carries a spring-socket, b, inwhich is located a spiral or other spring, b', which bears against theshank b2 of the pawl-arm B and serves to force it into the edge recessesc ofv a series of concentric rings, C, which rotate or oscillate inconcentric recesses C in the main lock-frame A, and which are providedwith abutting lugs or pins c', for a similar purpose to that set forthin my previous paten ts-that is to say, to rotate the disks until therecesses c register, when the pawl-arnn B is forced therein by theaction of the spring b.

The main-lock end of the shaft E is provided with longitudinalserrations or corrugations e, which correspond with a similar internalformation, f, upon the inner or operating main ring, F, which isprovided with a recess, j", having an abrupt side, f2, and aninclined-side, f3, as shown, and which is secured to the said main shaftby a screw, G, having radial serrations g, which engage with thecorresponding radial serrations, b3, upon the pawl-arm B. rIhe inclinedside f3 of the recess f' serves to throw the pawl-arm B outward when themain bolt H has reached its extreme throw, when the said pawl-arm B isthrown into engage- .ment with an inclined recess, h, in bolt H, whichtends to lock said boltagainst retraction. The

`pawl-arm B also operates between two bearing-lugs, h', and the shankot" the bolt is :provided With aslot, h2, one end of which abuts eitheragainst the shank ot' the pawl-arin B or against the socket-lu g a2. Thecorrugated surfaces upon the pawl-arm B and screwrG allow a spring, b',of light strength to serve iu the socket b, said surfaces engaging insuch a manner as to secure an efficient engaging contact.

The construction of the auxiliary permutation-lock is similar inrelative devices to that described as belonging to the main lock, exceptas-relates to the roughened or corrugated surfaces g b3. Hence the saidauxiliary lock will be briefly described thus:

M represents the dial-plate, having a keeper,

m, and N the dial,having bolt-socket n, concentric recesses N', andscrew-lugs, by which the plate N2 is secured thereto.

, 0 represents the concentric rings, having pins o and recesses o',similar to those already described in the main lock. The outer end ofthe main stem is provided with a spring-socket, x, which contains aspring, which bears against the shank r ofthe arm or pawl B.

S represents the auxiliary knob or-disk, and

S the operating-ring secured thereto. e

The operation of the device is similar to that set forth in the patentsalready granted to me, in which disks are employed, and the additionalor auxiliary lock is fully explained in an application to whichpatentability has been conceded. Modications in details of constructionmay be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing theadvantages of my invention, the essential features of which have beenexplained, and are fully shown in the drawings. It will be observed thatthe stems or shanks of both locks are provided with longitudinalserrations or corrugations, as shown at e, and coact with a similarconstruction upon the parts, as at f, and this relative and exact systemof engaging corrugations in each lock allows a multiplicity of changesin the combinations by a simple change in the relative positions of eachengaging pair of serrated surfaces between the shanks and-theoperating-ring.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apermutation-lock, a pawl-arm formoving and locking the bolt,combined witha socket-spring, whereby said arm is made to engage theoperating-shaft, the recessed concentric rings, and the operating-ringadapted to permit said arm to manipulatesaid bolt, and the bolt providedwith recesses and slot, asvdescribed, all arranged to operate asspecified.

2. In combination with the lock-frame A, having a series of concentricrecesses, G, the concentric rings U c c', the operating-ring Ff, thepawl-arm B, and bolt H, provided with recesses anda slot, h2, wherebythe throw ot' saidbolt is limited by the shank of the paWl-arm andsocket-lug a2, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the primary and secondary locks havingconcentric recesses and concentric rings, as described, of the connect- ICOIOS

ing stem or shaft, the operating spring-arms, In testimony whereof Iaffix my signaturein theope1ating-riug,aud the slotted and recessedpresence of two witnesses.

bolt in the secondary look, all arranged to operate substantially asspecified. GEORGE M. HATHAWAY.

4. The main shaft E, having serratiou e, and

the operating-ring Ff, combined with the ser Vituesses:

rated screw, with the arm B, having serrations H. CLAY SMITH,

b3, and with a spring, as set forth. WILLIAM FITCH.

